


Count of Monte Cristo AU

by CrimsonfireSilvermelody



Category: Count of Monte Cristo (2002), The Count of Monte Cristo - All Media Types, The Count of Monte Cristo - Wildhorn/Murphy, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Blood and Torture, Blood and Violence, Body Horror, Branding, Multi, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-11-01 03:22:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17859311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonfireSilvermelody/pseuds/CrimsonfireSilvermelody
Summary: Based on the Count of Monte Cristo musical by Frank Wildhorn and Jack MurphyAlso mixes in some elements from the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo movie"Justice belongs to those who claim it. Love belongs to those who give it."





	1. When Love is True

 

 

  _In 1814, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba. Fate had decided that a young sailor would have to land at this island to save his dying captain..._

* * *

 "You're finally back!" 

An excited Aoi Zaizen ran across the french dock to hug her beloved fiance who had just returned from his journey. Somehow the moment he arrived onto the shore she felt free of all the weight her petticoats and her fussy underskirts that kept her down.

"I followed our star all the way home," Yusaku jumped, surprised at the sudden contact with another person, softening only when he realized who has hugged him. "I had to lead the ship myself because certain things came up."

"At least now you're safe, love." Aoi beamed up at him, the simple silver ring that was tied onto her sting necklace he gave to her the night he proposed shined in the daylight.

"We get it, you're both madly in love with each other," a disgruntled Spectre stepped off the merchant ship after stumbling around a bit. "And I believe Monsieur Ignis wanted to speak with you because of the complications we had during our trip." He went around the reunited couple and walked into town, hiding a jealous look in his eyes.

"Well, I'd better see what that's about, I'll meet you at our usual spot?" Yusaku asked Aoi.

 "I'll be waiting for you."

"I know you will be."

He gave her a soft peck at the top of her forehead, a promise of what was yet to come.

* * *

 "Yusaku, my boy, I wanted to have a word with you."

"I hope you aren't mad at me, Monsieur Ignis." Yusaku twirled the hairs that were behind his ear nervously.

"Mad at you? How could I be mad at you? You steered the Link as if you were the captain of the vessel when no one else could."

"Considering the circumstances, someone had to take the lead."

"And I am proud of you for doing that, so I wanted to tell you that I trust you. Would you like to become the captain of the Link?"

Yusaku's seaweed green eyes widened.

 "You're serious?"

"As serious as a man could ever be."

"I would love to be captain of one of your ships, thank you."

"No, thank you my boy, if it wasn't for you I could've lost a good crew along with its captain during the expidition you boys had and I'm happy you are all safe and sound. May the former captain rest in peace."

Yusaku nodded solemnly, thinking about the trip as a whole from sailing the merchant ship while his captain was sick and getting worse to meeting an exiled Napoleon held by the british and to the letter he carried in his inner coat pocket that he still had to deliver to Marsellies.

"Now go, celebrate with your girl, I'll let you know when your next trip is."

"Thank you."

* * *

 

The sun had just set on the hidden cove Aoi was waiting for Yusaku at. She was sitting at the edge of the shore, the sea foam and water playing with her toes as she waited for her beloved.

She sighed lovingly into the air as she played with her skirt's hemline, staring into the horizon.

A pair of arms snaked around her waistline, carrying her up into the air as she yelped. 

"Guess who?" A teasing voice whispered into her ear.

"Yusaku!" She laughed as he spun her around and gracefully let her stand on her feet again, both of them looking into the other's eyes.

"I have excellent news to tell you my love." 

"Oh please tell me its as excellent as I think it is." 

"It is, you're getting married to a captain." He confidently told her, grinning like a complete dork.

 "Oh Yusaku! You got a promotion! That is excellent news!"

"And the fact that I spoke to the priest that we are to marry next week isn't?"

She hit his chest playfully, "We won't be able to see each other that whole day until we're officially married? That's ridiculous, I say we celebrate your promotion first before we worry about any marriage plans."

"That sounds good to me." They both sat down on the beach sand next to each other, cuddling. They kissed deeply as the full moon rose high into the sky, one thing leading to another as they spent the night together under the stars.

 

 


	2. A Story Told

"When are they getting married, Aoi and Yusaku?" 

"Monsieur, they're getting married next week, and I can't change the date because we're booked, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

The priest left quickly and quietly, leaving a peeved Ryoken Kogami alone in his living room.

He growled under his breath. "Damn Fujiki, always getting his way, always getting in mine. Why can't I be like him and have everything I want in life?"

He lounged on his expensive couch, then jolted back up. 

"I need to get a drink."

* * *

 

"Fujiki, the new captain of the Link? Has Monsieur Ignis gone mad?"

Spectre drank a bit more wine before setting it down on the table.

"Mind if I join you?" A grumpy Ryoken asked.

"Go ahead, I don't care." 

Ryoken eyed Spectre before ordering; Spectre turned and recognized the man he was sitting next to.

"Aren't you a friend of Fujiki's?"

"He claims to be my friend," Ryoken responded, "and yet, I just heard about this so called 'wedding' he's having."

"He's getting married?"

"To Aoi Zaizen," Ryoken sighed.

Spectre nodded, a mutual understanding beginning to form in his head. "So he isn't your friend?"

"Hell no, he gets everything he wants in life while I'm stuck where I am socially."

"Tell me about it, he's now captain of the Link, which I was supposed to be according to tradition."

"And if his luck couldn't get any better, he's marrying to the beautiful Aoi Zaizen. I wish I could just steal her away from everyone, especially _him_..." Ryoken had on a look of pure envy.

Spectre's eyes widened a bit. It could just be the alcohol, but the man next to him just gave him an idea.

"Monsieur Kogami, I might have an opportunity for both of us."

"I'm listening."

* * *

 

Aoi and Yusaku walked hand in hand on the docks, having the time of their young lives.

"Look, its our star, it finally appeared!"

Yusaku looked up at the direction Aoi was. The star twinkled brightly against the twilit sky, the first one to appear.

"That it did." Yusaku shyly twirled a bit on the back part of his hair and tugged on it.

"Don't do that! You'll go bald!" She scolded him playfully.

He smiled at her, his gaze softening.

"Yusaku Fujiki, you are under arrest by the magistrate of Marseilles."

Two gruff looking men stopped the couple in their tracks, seperating them from each other. More important looking men showed up at the scene.

"What is the meaning of this? Arrest?" Aoi stepped back towards her beloved.

"On what charges?" Yusaku attempt to consol his fiancee, who was almost in tears.

"That information is private. You must come with us." The men tugged at him to follow along.

"Don't cry Aoi, this must be a mistake, go back to the house, I'll be there soon."

She nodded solemnly and sadly as some of the men helped her get home while Yusaku was led away.

* * *

"Well, Fujiki, you don't look like a man who would be a traitor."

"Akira?"

"Sadly, my job is to see if you are a traitor or not, as I technically work for the Queen." Akira went over his paperwork carefully, flashing Yusaku a saddened look. "Would you help me with some of the details? Your life kinda depends on it."

"Of course, what do you want to know?"

"Did you have any personal contact with Napoleon while the Link stopped at Elba?"

"Yes, I did."

"Explain." Akira leaned closer to Yusaku, listening closely.

"I went on shore to Elba to help our captain, who was ill and dying, I had no choice. No other crew members wanted to take the risk, so I had to go alone. While I was there, Napoleon asked me to deliver a letter to one of his acquaintances in Marseilles."

"What? Do you still have the letter?"

Yusaku pulled out a letter sealed in an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to Akira. He opened it at his desk and skimmed through it

"Have you read this letter, Yusaku?"

"No I- I can't read." He admitted.

Akira pondered on the situation at hand carefully.

"Well Fujiki, this is a letter to Napoleon's agents with the times and locations of the British beach patrols on Elba."

"Son of a- he swore to me it was innocent! I swear Akira, on my mother's grave, I didn't know, I had no idea."

Akira shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it, you're the one that's innocent in this situation. Good thing this letter fell into my hands before it fell into anyone elses. Who did he say he wanted it delivered to?"

Yusaku scratched his head. "I can't remember exactly who, I think it was some rook..."

Akira only knew one rook who would benefit from access to this information.

"Yusaku, you're free to go back home."

Akira stood up from behind his desk and patted his shoulder.

"I'll have my carriage take you back home."

Yusaku sighed in relief and headed for the exit. Once he reached it, however, he was manhandled and forced into the back of a prisoner's carriage.

The slam of the door and the sound of locks was enough to jolt Yusaku up from the position he was thrown in.

"What's going on? Akira you said I was free to go!!!"

"I'm sorry Yusaku, but your new home is in the Chateau D'If."

Panic was apparent in Yusaku's eyes. What did he do wrong? Where did things go wrong???

"No!!! Wait until your sister hears about you doing this? What will she think?!"

Yusaku shook the rails of the carriage cage he was in. He had to get out of there!

"She'll thank me for saving our family's name."

Akira looked at Yusaku sadly and left. The carriage started to move in the opposite direction in the dead of night. Yusaku looked out the window at the brightest star closest to the moon, the one that appears first every night, the one he and Aoi shared. He wished upon the star for hope and true justice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should i get a ko-fi? I need money desperately for personal reasons and im not in a stable place right now and i wanna keep writing too... Tell me in the comments


	3. I Will Be There/ Everyday a Little Death

The Chateau D'If

Yusaku never imagined he would end up in here.

The prison itself is built into the island, it being the home to many bonapartists who opposed the Queen, and Yusaku had never gotten mixed up into anything political. He was just a simple sailor, he didn't have to worry about that sort of thing. He just had to worry about the sea and the various smugglers who would try to take the merchandise he had to deliver.

He lied on the cold, damp floor of his cell, praying that Aoi was safe and sound back home. It was a mistake that he was here, he would be out soon, right?

At least the guards had let him keep his coat and clothes he was wearing for the night. He curled up in the corner as best as he could, looking up and out of the windows in his cell. He couldn't reach them without going on his toes and the bars prevented him from escaping. But, at the very least he could see the stars and the moon from it.

Seawater crashed along the shore of the island and because Yusaku's cell was along sea level, his cell was always getting droplets and splashes of water every now and then, the sounds of the sea drowning out Yusaku's sobs.

* * *

 

Night eventually turned into day and Yusaku was forced out of his cell and out of his clothing by the guards, who in turn chained his arms in opposing directions, leaving his bare back and chest exposed in the torture chamber.

"Please, I'm not supposed to be here." Yusaku tried reasoning with the man behind him.

"No one is supposed to be here. If you weren't innocent, you could be at any other jail in France. Or better yet, you could be dead. But instead, you're stuck with me, and trust me, I'll make you wish you were dead."

The man held a whip and cracked it at Yusaku's flesh, grazing his sensitive back skin and making a scream explode from his mouth.

Yusaku shivered at the cold he felt as the man continued to whip him without mercy for hours on end. His grunts and cries became louder as he felt the leather go deeper into his wounds, turning his back into a bloody mess of misplaced, beaten skin.

The guards forced him to his knees, slapping Yusaku's face out of the way so his exposed chest faced fowards. Yusaku was tired, shaken to his core and in excruciating pain.

The man returned with a hot iron, the type commonly used to brand and number cattle, and he heated it up in the coal pit in in the front of the room.

Once the hot iron was finaly glowing a dangerous red orange hue, the man took it out and branded Yusaku across the chest, causing Yusaku to cry out as the unimaginable heat dug into his flesh.

The man finally took the iron off of Yusaku's skin after what felt like an eternity, leaving his chest burnt and seared by the numbers he had just branded him with. Yusaku, about to pass out from the pain, collapsed as the guards took his body back into his cell, literally throwing him in, leaving Yusaku alone in the cold loneliness of the stone surrounding him.

* * *

 

Yusaku awoke three days later, a couple of subpar meals and a pair of clothes had been left at his door.

Desperately, he crawled towards the food and water, eating it all greedily as he dressed into the clothes he would be forced to wear for a while.

Stuck in solitary, as all the prisoners of the Chateau D'If were, Yusaku could feel himself going mad slowly.

His hair was disheveled and unruly, his nails split from all the scratching he did at the walls and at his head (he was pretty sure he had lice at this point), the bags under his eyes had grown into dark, defined circles, he had even grown a beard and moustache because he had been in there for years, except for the random days the man in charge of the Chateau D'If desired to torture him again.

Yusaku could barely stand after every session of torture, each time he gained more scars across his body. His prisoner's clothing was worn out and torn in various places.

He was definitely not the same man he was when he first arrived. Yusaku looked into his reflection in one of the larger puddles in the room, staring deep into his broken, empty soul.

He was starting to lose almost all hope of him leaving the place that became his everyday hell.

 


	4. When the World was Mine

"Aoi, are you doing alright?"

A softly spoken Ryoken entered the room Aoi was currently staying in. Aoi was dressed in her sleepwear, quietly praying in the middle of the room.

"Aoi..."

He placed his hand on her bare shoulder, startling the young maiden. She looked up at him, got up from kneeling and hugged him.

"Oh Ryoken, I miss Yusaku so much, I know he's innocent. I just want him to come home..."

She started crying softly into Ryoken's chest, making him feel bad for her a bit. But he knew Yusaku wasn't coming home any time soon all thanks to the plan he had made with Spectre. So he took the opportunity to hug Aoi back and brush his fingers delicately through her soft hair.

"There there, I'm sure he'll be back soon. I'll even go with you to the courthouse tomorrow to see if your brother can do anything about this..."

Aoi looked up at Ryoken, her face stained with fresh tears.

"Thank you..."

He gave her a soft smile.

"I'm sure things will turn out just fine Aoi, you'll be married before you know it."

* * *

 

Aoi Zaizen and Ryoken Kogami had gone to see her brother in the morning and things were not going as planned for Aoi.

"I'm sorry Aoi, I can't do anything about the situation, I don't have enough influence to get Fujiki out of the Chateau D'If."

"What? You can't or you won't Akira??"

"I can't Aoi, not with the crime he was charged with."

"He is innocent Akira! I know he is!!! Tell him Ryoken, tell him about Yusaku." Aoi's eyes begged Ryoken to speak out, to defend her stance. His heart twisted a little, the fact she was asking for him specifically-

The Zaizens went back to quibbling with each other until Ryoken finally spoke up.

"Um excuse me Monsieur Zaizen but... What crime WAS Yusaku charged with? We at least deserve to know that information."

Both Akira and Aoi looked at Ryoken, realizing that _would_ be of importance if they wanted Yusaku out.

"Well Monsieur Kogami," Akira flipped through his legal files. "Yusaku Fujiki was charged with treason against the crown, which is a serious allegation of its own. Now do you see why this isn't so easy Aoi?"

Aoi sat quietly, staring furiously at her older brother.

Ryoken attempted to calm her down with a small pat on her back, rubbing it softly. He looked directly at Akira.

"I've known Yusaku for a long time Zaizen, he wouldn't do such a thing. He doesn't care for politics."

Akira's eyes wandered and noticed Ryoken's attempt to calm Aoi and sighed. Ryoken looked focused on Aoi while she just seemed frustrated about the whole situation she was going through.

"I wasn't in charge of the descision to send him to jail, and I don't have enough information on his case to say otherwise. I also don't have enough recourses and influence to get him out. He is a political prisoner according to the law."

"But..." Aoi's voice cracked. "My wedding was supposed to happen in a week, Akira. He's my fiancé and I love him." Aoi started tearing up again.

"Aoi...," Akira looked sympathetically at his little sister. "This might be a sign. You may still be able to start over what you had with Yusaku with someone new. You're still young, and you have plenty of choices all around you. I'm sure with a heart as big as yours you'll be able to move on from this."

Aoi cried again in Ryoken's chest as he brushed her hair. He looked up at her brother for approval. Akira nodded, only concerned about his little sister's emotional state and his own position of influence at the moment. Ryoken Kogami seemed like a decent man, so he approved of him immediately.

Ryoken looked back at Akira and hugged Aoi, helping her out of Akira's office.

After moments of walking and silence between them, Ryoken decided to break it.

"I know we both want Yusaku back and-" Aoi paid attention to every word he said. What he said next could make or break his relationship with Aoi.

"And I don't want you to be home alone as it could cause you to feel worse without him being there. I'm always here for you if you need me Aoi, and its not healthy for you to be sad all of the time. I know how you feel, I'm Yusaku's best friend."

Aoi managed to calm herself down enough to take in what Ryoken was saying to her.

"Um... So you can stay at my place if you want. Maybe you'll feel more comfortable there. I have plenty of spare room in my home and I know you shouldn't be alone during this hard time in your life..."

"Ryoken..." Aoi spoke up softly.

"Yes Aoi?" 

"I appreciate it, everything that you are doing to get Yusaku back, everything you're doing for me..."

"It's alright Aoi, I don't mind at all."

"Well... I wanted to say thank you..." She smiled sadly at him. "Once we get back to your place I'm sure we can come up with another way to get Yusaku out."

 'He won't get out.' Ryoken thought. 'I can't let him.'

* * *

Over the next couple of years Aoi spent her time praying and taking residence at Ryoken's house. She wandered aimlessly around the halls and eventually ended up at the balcony. 

"Yusaku..." Aoi whispered as she held onto ring on her necklace. She looked up at the twilit sky, staring at the star they shared.

"Aoi," Ryoken called out for her as he searched for her in his home. He winded up at the balcony as well. The sight of her in this mental state made him realize that he couldn't have Aoi if Yusaku was still present in her thoughts. 

"Aoi."

She turned to look at him and smiled. "Ryoken... Is there any news about Yusaku?"

He went to hug her, then and there and brushed her hair softly.

"I'm sorry..."

Aoi's eyes widened. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Yusaku Fujiki is dead."


	5. When We Are Kings

Six years of complete and utter silence, finally broken by one thing.

Scratching. 

That was all the prisoner could hear coming from the floor beneath him.

The floor cracked close to his feet. He scrambled to the corner of the fairly small cell as the rock broke beneath and revealed someone else. He had purple hair and looked to be pretty youthful for an old man.

"Freee- wait..." The man looked around the area and laughed, hitting a device he had tied onto his wrist. "This isn't outside, my stupid compass mustn't be working correctly, maybe it's not magnitized enough..."

The prisoner just stared at him, surprised.

"Ah, windows! That's just what I need! I can track the paths of the stars and maybe-" The man stopped mid-sentence, finally taking notice of the frazzled prisoner.

"Oh um, hello. I'm sorry for breaking into your cell like this. You probably think I'm crazy or something."

The prisoner nodded, unsure about how to emote.

"Hey, what's your name?" The man spoke kindly to the prisoner, hopping out his hole and approaching him slowly. "I'm Shiochi Kusanagi."

"Number 006."

"No my boy..." Kusanagi shook his head. "I mean, what's your real name?"

He tried hard to remember, scrunching his face in deep thought as he was twirling a small peice of hair and attempting to speak it for the first time in years.

"Yusaku... Yusaku Fujiki..."

"Ah Yusaku," the man smiled, "As you can see, I was trying to dig my way out of here and escape, could you possibly help me?" The old man seemed nice enough as he continued to ramble on, and Yusaku could use something to lighten the mood for a change...

"There's also a few useful things I can teach you for example history, politics, languages, sciences and of course mathematics. Should we get started?"

Yusaku's eyes widened at the thought of knowledge and then he smiled softly. "Okay, I was going to help you either way but uhm... friends?" 

Kusanagi nodded. "Friends."

* * *

So every day after that encounter, Yusaku was taught by Kusanagi and every night they worked underground to escape.

They made elaborate plans, marking out the places the walls of the tunnels had almost closed upon them beforehand and found ways around it.

As Yusaku learned more, he slowly started to realize what had happened to him to get him into the Chateau D'If in the first place. But, he still had no evidence to support his claims, inspiring him to work harder than before to escape.

"What's going on Yusaku?"

"Huh?" 

"Come on Yusaku, you can't fool me, you're too quick witted to be playing dumb."

Yusaku sighs in defeat. "I was just wondering what kind of life I would go back to after our escape."

"Well... We're going to have to lay low that's for sure." 

"Mmh..."

"You probably miss your family huh?"

"I've never really had much blood family... But I do have my fiancé, Aoi. She's the most considerate person I know, and her smile..."

Yusaku sighed dreamily before furrowing his eyebrows and continuing his work.

"Yusaku, we both know you aren't thinking about her right now," Kusanagi suddenly got very serious. "What happened?"

 "Well... I think I know how I really ended up here."

* * *

After the reveal, Kusanagi brought Yusaku above into his cell once more. He scrambled around, making a mess of his things until he found what he was looking for.

"A spoon?" A confused Yusaku shot him a look.

"Yes, you're going to learn how to swordfight as well from now on."

"Why?"

"Swordfighting requires the utmost ability to read your opponents and the agility and force needed to defend oneself. It has to become second nature to you."

* * *

"Yusaku, there's something I have to tell you..." Kusanagi started off as they continued on the tunnel.

"Hmm?"

"Before all of..." He motioned with his hands the area around them. "This... I was a priest, and an academic, and I served the richest man alive, Count Sparda." 

Kusanagi panted tiredly. Noticing this, Yusaku helped support his back as they continued digging. 

"Well... If I told you there was a treasure, bigger than you can imagine, unimaginable riches, and only I knew where it was, what would you say?"

Yusaku pondered on it for a moment.

Then he continued digging.

"Do you not believe me? If we keep working at this pace we'll be free in less than a year and... I'll share it with you... But, you must defeat the demons in your heart Yusaku."

"I want justice." Yusaku sternly told him. "And if fate won't give me justice I'll claim it myself. Just as they deserve it."

"Vengance is the wrong path, Yusaku, it grows and slowly destroys you from the inside. I don't want that to be your fate."

Yusaku however, wasn't listening to his friend's advice and noticed the trembling of the tunnel.

Quickly, he covered Kusanagi as the tunnel rumbled around them before it finally collapsed.

After what felt like hours, Yusaku checked on Kusanagi. He was passed out on the floor, unmoving.

"Oh no..." Yusaku panicked, not having a clue what he should do. "God please this is my only friend. Please. Save him..."

Yusaku shook Kusanagi's arm, and he coughed terribly. 

"Kusanagi!"

"Yusaku," he heaved, "I have to tell you something.."

"This can wait until later, you need some water."

"I'm afraid I won't make it until later. I'm going to taste freedom before you do..."

Yusaku attempted to adjust him. "Kusanagi, you'll have time, just lie down and breath."

"LISTEN TO ME IDIOT!" Kusanagi snapped at Yusaku. He stared back, shocked.

"There's a small, rocky island..." Kusanagi went on, coughing violently. "... Named... Monte Cristo... When you get there... Head to the most eastern point on the island... Dive and swim a little further than 200 meters below the surface... When you resurface, you're going to be in a gigantic cave where the treasure is hidden. Use it wisely Yusaku.."

"Kusanagi, we're escaping together as planned, I'm not leaving you behind." 

Kusanagi attempted to push Yusaku away, but Yusaku held on.

"Kusanagi you just need to rest a little, everything will be alright." Yusaku stammered.

"Yusaku please..." Kusanagi smiled at him before suddenly collapsing in his lap. Yusaku shook his head, tears threatening to fall out.

Yusaku digged backwards as he heard his friend coughing terribly. Time seemed to stop as Yusaku could only think about helping him. Once it was cleared, Yusaku carefully brought Kusanagi back into his cell, muttering words of encouragement.

It was too silent...

"Kusanagi?" Yusaku felt for his pulse.

And he mourned.


	6. Truth or Dare

Rustling of the prison door could be heard. Yusaku quickly jumped into the tunnel and hid the entrance. He tried calming his beating heart, knowing that he would get caught and punished if he was too loud. The prison staff were here for Kusanagi's body after all.

Adrenaline rushed though his body, screaming into his eardrums. No. Not yet. Now. The prison staff were nowhere to be heard. Yusaku clambered out of the hole and hid the entrance. As quietly as he could, he climbed into the cart that held his friend's body and others that were long gone from this world, covering the cart once more in its sheet.

Then, the cart began moving. Yusaku stayed absolutely still and feigned being one of the dead bodies. This was his chance and he had to take it. 

The rolling of wheels finally stopped. He felt his heart at his throat when he heard the familiar sound of waves. A couple of grunts were made by what Yusaku guessed was the prison staff as the cart was tipped over the edge and all of the dead bodies started to roll out of it, himself included.

Yusaku grabbed onto a random body mid air, having them take the impact of splitting the water for him. Then Yusaku sank into the ocean surrounding the Chateau D'If. The experience was surreal, and after what felt like hours but was in reality a couple of seconds, Yusaku swam up to get some air. He was a free man once again, after 14 long years of confinement, he was finally free.

* * *

 Yusaku had no idea how he got captured once more, but he did.

At least it wasn't by his original captors.

"Captain, it looks like we have quite the intresting catch for you!" A man shouted as the disoriented Yusaku sat with a bunch of fish in a net. Even with slight sea sickness from being in the ocean too long, he could tell that he was aboard a smuggler ship, something he was always able to avoid in his older life.

"This ship is a disorganized mess." He mumbled.

Men and women alike surrounded Yusaku like sea hawks, taking curiosity in the hitchhiker. Then, a commanding presence made the crowd part almost instantaneously.

The captain of the ship.

"Free him from the net, I want to hear his story."

* * *

Once Yusaku had reaquired his sea legs, the captain comfronted him in front of everyone onboard.

"So, who do we have the pleasure of meeting?" 

Yusaku hesitated for a second, looking around at his 'audience'. He decided it would be best if he told them little white lies so he could get out of the situation alive. "I am Yusaku, Yusaku Kusanagi."

"Alright, Yusaku Kusanagi," the captain gracefully move closer in interest, "How did you manage to escape the Chateau D'If?" 

"How did you know?"

"It was obvious, it's the only prison for miles and you're the one dressed like a prisoner."

"I- I jumped." Yusaku shuddered.

"What did you do before that?"

"I was a sailor, ironically." He stated.

The captain's purple eyes lit up in a sadistic sort of way. "Can you fight?"

"I can."

"Then prove your worth." The captain declared. "Takeru!"

A man that was in definite good shape appeared, bangs brushed back in a way tha made his hair look like it was on fire. Yusaku couldn't help but notice his bare forehead.

The captain handed Takeru two knives.

"Oi, Yusaku, I hope you're good at dueling. Takeru here is my crew's strongest duelist, but he has been acting out lately and I won't tolerate it. If you manage to kill him, you earn his spot in my crew."

Yusaku's smagderine eyes widened. As soon as the captain finished, Takeru threw one of the knives at him. Yusaku barely managed to catch it between his palms. He stood up and brandished the knife. The crew surrounded the duo insuring no escape. Yusaku had no choice.

Knives clashed with speed as Takeru agressively went at it, Yusaku doing all that he could to withstand the powerful blows. 

The ability for Yusaku to stand though, was lost as his legs wavered and he was forced to lay down. Luckily, being as quick witted as he was, Yusaku used this to his advantage and kicked Takeru's unguarded shin, disarmed him and had him pinned to the ground.

The alarm in Takeru's face was evident, realizing he was at end's meet.

"What are you waiting for?" The captain barked. "Kill him!"

"No." Yusaku said firmly and with authority. "I have never taken another person's life meaninglessly and I don't intend to starting now." Yusaku then got up and offered Takeru his hand.

"Even if it means dying yourself?" The captain asked.

"Don't you think it would be better to have two capable duelists in your crew instead of one?" Yusaku responded with his own question. "Wouldn't it be more beneficial for everyone involved?"

Everyone looked to the captain, as Yusaku did have a point.

Takeru took Yusaku's hand and was helped up by Yusaku. "So?"

"Fine, both of you are part of the crew. Everyone, back to work!" 

Yusaku sighed in relief, Takeru smiled at him. The captain walked over to the pair.

"Yusaku, what you did was gutsy, and I commend you for it. The name's Captain Emma Bessho, welcome to the crew. Takeru, show him around." Emma then turned around and went back to her quarters.

"At least we can breathe easy for now. I'm Takeru Homura, I owe you my life and my friendship since you spared my life."

"That's not necessary." Yusaku started. "I have my own agenda."

"I insist." Takeru insisted. "We all have our burdens, so I don't mind taking some of the weight of yours."

Yusaku was stunned at the declaration. He had just lost Kusanagi a day ago and now he had someone else who was willing to help him. He hoped he wouldn't have to lose him as well...

"Friends?" Takeru held out his hand.

Yusaku shook it and smiled. "Friends."

 

 


End file.
